Mystery Initials Built into my Accordion?

[TahoeJoe]

I posted quite a while ago about the accordion that I play, which I still do not know the maker of, and it seems to be a one-off from some Italian manufacturer from the mid-century. Today, while reattaching the bass cover plate after replacing the bass hand strap, I noticed that the air holes in it spell out "F" on the left side and "B" on the right side in each of the diamond shapes. I originally thought the holes were randomly and carelessly drilled into the plate until I thought about it some more, but I guess just it adds to the mystery of this accordion. Does anyone know what these letters could mean?

For photo context, the bass machine cover plate is sitting on top of the accordion.

 

[JerryPH]

FB... free bass? Possible converter free bass accordion?

 

[TahoeJoe]

FB... free bass? Possible converter free bass accordion?

Very interesting. The register seems to switch from low bass to much higher pitch notes, though I dont really use it because it sounds a bit honky. Ive never really considered that it could be a free bass converter either. I always thought the chord buttons played chords with the register on but now I'll have to go check. I have taken it apart several times, and the switch just opens one half of a reed block and closes one half of another reed block. I'm assuming that's how converters work?

 

[Dingo40]

Does anyone know what these letters could mean?

The initials of the man who drilled the holes?
The initials of the original owner?

 

[JerryPH]

Very interesting. The register seems to switch from low bass to much higher pitch notes, though I dont really use it because it sounds a bit honky. Ive never really considered that it could be a free bass converter either.

Ate you getting chord buttons that go to single noted and are deeper going one direction and higher going the other while in playing position?

 

[Ventura]

the list compiled by Beniamino Bugiolacchi includes

fratelli bramante savona 1928

fratelli balestra castlefidardo 1938-1963

fratelli batoni recanati 1951-1965

and what had we guessed ? that red accordion is late 1940's early 1950's ?

 

[Ventura]

if you compare your bass buttons section you will note it has an
identical curve then straight cut to the shape, which is kind of
distinctive, and though this L'artiste is not metal, it does use the same font

https://www.accordionists.info/attachments/22-jpg.12342/

 

[TahoeJoe]

if you compare your bass buttons section you will note it has an
identical curve then straight cut to the shape, which is kind of
distinctive, and though this L'artiste is not metal, it does use the same font

https://www.accordionists.info/attachments/22-jpg.12342/

Wow, thanks for the help with identification! Where did you get that photo? Its the only one I have ever seen that is the same as mine.

 

[TahoeJoe]

Ate you getting chord buttons that go to single noted and are deeper going one direction and higher going the other while in playing position?

So I'm testing it out right now. I'm pretty certain that the higher register still plays the regular chords and bass/counterbass notes, just without the lowest reed. It just does what the registers on the treble side do. I guess the freebass hypothesis is busted .

 

[Dingo40]

FB... free bass? Possible converter free bass accordion?

No, my guess is it's a standard Stradella bass system with the switch activating/deactivating the lower set of bass reeds?

 

[JerryPH]

Was a thought.

 

[TahoeJoe]

No, my guess is it's a stands Stradella bass system with the switch activating/deactivating the lower set of bass reeds?

Correct. There are 4 octaves (5 for C, C# and D due to the way the octaves overlap across the reed blocks I guess?) and the switch deactivates the lowest one and activates the second lowest (third lowest for those three notes). Kinda sucks becuase the switch looks a lot like other converter switches I am seeing on other accordions, yet only changes the reed selection and doesnt convert the bass machine. The "F" and "B" plate must've just been reused across all of their accordions, whether it had a converter in it or not. Or it was just meant to mislead people...

 

[Ventura]

way back then very very few factories could even take a shot at
some kind of freebass mechanism, even a decade later than yours
only a handfull of the largest factories could pull it off..

so that other accordion that is similar to yours was an old
somewhat misleading listing on Reverb (that seller makes up
a lot of stuff in his descriptions, like naming it Excello)

it is definitely the same vintage, but it has more reedbanks
and a slightly different pattern of decoration over the grill..
seems to also have the FB on the bassplate

https://reverb.com/item/6808142-excello-l-artiste-vintage-4-5-reed-italian-18-1-2-inch-keyboard

i was searching for l'artiste on the off chance it would be in a few
online sales descriptions but that was the only close match..
i'd guess it was a small factory and also many accordions from that
period have gone to heaven.. the onlay type grill with those keys were
a comparatively brief period and pretty much gone by the mid 1950's

it is nice to have one still in decent shape

 

[TahoeJoe]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for all the info.
Soon enough I'll have it restored to its one-of-a-kind former glory

 

[dak]

FB... free bass? Possible converter free bass accordion?

How about "Fritz Boss"? Though there are probably lots of accordionists with those initials.